A former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Jumoke Akinjide was Tuesday re-arraigned at a Federal High Court, Lagos, for allegedly laundering N650m.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), arraigned Akinjide alongside Senator Ayo Adeseun, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart, Chief Olanrewaju Otiti and former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, who was said to be at large.
The defendants are standing trial on a 24-count charge of money laundering before Justice Muslim Hassan.
They were accused of conspiring to obtain the N650m from Mrs. Alison-Madueke, in the build-up to the 2015 general elections.
According to the EFCC, they reasonably ought to have known “that the money formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act.”
Akinjide, who was earlier arraigned for money laundering was granted bail on the same offence on June 22 last year by the Ibadan, Oyo division of the court, but the case was transferred to Lagos at her instance.
She also allegedly gave N26.5m cash to one Ayoka Lawani; N56.4m to one Alhaji Kunmi Mustapha; N28.6m to one Honourable Muraina Ajibola; N16m to one Honourable Yinka Taiwo and N10.7m to one Prince Ayuba.
Counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, said the cash payments exceeded the threshold stipulated by the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2012.
He said Akinjide, Adeseun and Otiti acted contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2012, and were liable to punishment under Section 15(3) and 4 of the same Act.
At Tuesday’s proceeding, Oyedepo told the court that the agency had an amended 24-count charge and urged the court to admit same as their charge in the suit.